Compute won't boot

[Hendrick]

I have an older computer, a Compaq SR1620NX, which I use a lot to test different things on. Recently I performed a System Restore (although it's irrelevant, it's WinXP), which required me, for whatever reason, to remove my Hauppauge PCI TV Tuner (Compaq's modified restore process kept freezing with the card plugged in.) The restore went just fine, and the computer worked fine.

However recently, my computer won't boot. It powers on, the Compaq Boot logo appears, and then it appears to freeze. I can't access BIOS, I can't boot from my hard drive, I can't boot from CD/DVD drive. I've tried to remove the CMOS battery for a day, but it didn't make a difference. (I can't find any other way to reset BIOS).

Although I didn't correlate the two at the time, I believe the last thing I did with the computer before it refused to boot was plug the TV Tuner back in. I'm not sure how this would cause my computer to not boot, but I thought it might be of interest. (I have tried booting without the tuner in now and the same thing happens.)

Thanks for the help!

[Owen W Veteran]

Hey Hendrick,

Have you tried disconnecting your RAM/HDD? This often can cause problems that you describe.

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

I would second this, attemp to remove the HDD and then the RAM and see if this is the cause.

[+Warwagon MVC]

  On 20/07/2010 at 22:21, Owen Williams said:

Hey Hendrick,

Have you tried disconnecting your RAM/HDD? This often can cause problems that you describe.

If he disconnect his "RAM" his system won't post :yes:

Though I would recommend trying a different stick if you have one. Or if you have 2 sticks in the computer try running off just 1 of each.

[Hendrick]

Sorry for such a delay, been out of town the past few days, away from that computer.

I have two sticks of RAM installed, I removed both to see if the MOBO would beep when it boots, and it did. I just tried booting with only one installed (tried twice, used different sticks each time), and it didn't work.

I've tried without the HD's installed, and I still can't access BIOS that way.

[Phenom II]

Reset the CMOS ?

[Hendrick]

The only way I know how is to remove the CMOS battery, which I've already done. (Actually, something interested occured. I now have a new option on the boot screen after I let the computer sit without the battery. "Boot from LAN" appeared as an option.)

[Phenom II]

That means it has successfuly reset

Other than trying known working RAM to rule that out - or try this ram in another machine

if still no joy, its looking like the motherboard if you have tried booting it barebone with only 1 stick or ram and nothing else in

check to see you have not bent any pins inside and around the pci slot where the tv tuner went in - i had a similar thing happen to a customers desktop when he bent jumper pins over putting the graphics card in and luckily enough, bending them back fixed it

[Hendrick]

Bent pins would cause the computer to not boot, even if the slot is empty? I'll take a closer look at that, and see what I find.